Food Fan First

Last week reached epic heat proportions, thus heat advisories were in full effect. My AC ran on full blast with fingers crossed that a power outage wouldn’t occur due to overwhelming demand to cool off. Rightfully so. With record high heat, no one, and I mean no one really wants to turn on their stove and/or oven. It’s anything frozen or over ice, salads and this Summertime Ceviche. Ceviche is a simple and quick recipe to make. Most of your prep time will be waiting for those citrus juices to “cook” the fish and then it’s toppings. See, pretty effortless. You can use any type of fresh fish and add traditional toppings such as cilantro, onion and avocado. For this recipe, I veered from tradition, and used watermelon radish and yellow beets. I then topped it off with tons of ginger, cilantro, more lime and pomegranate seeds. It’s a dish that’s truly a treat for the eyes.

Toppings1 bunch cilantro, chopped½ cup pomegranate seeds2 yellow beets, sliced thin2 limes, juice and zest2 watermelon radishes, sliced thin1 red onion, dicedKosher SaltIn a glass or stainless-steel bowl, combine the fish, ginger, lime juice, lime zest and salt. Ensure that there is enough juice to cover the fish. The fish should float freely. Cover and refrigerate the fish and “cook” for 3-4 hours, until the fish no longer looks raw, but opaque. Slice the beets and watermelon radish with a mandoline (recommended) or a food processor with either the 4mm (what I have) or the 2mm. Or, if you have mad knife skills, slice thin as possible. Spread the slices of beet and radish at the bottom of your plate or bowl. Place the fish on top and garnish with pomegranate seeds, lime zest, cilantro and red onion. Squeeze fresh lime juice on top. Serve.

Chickpea Gnocchi! The easiest, less labor- intensive pasta you’ll ever make. No pasta machine needed. Just you and the dough. I enjoy making homemade pasta. It tastes amazing, is fun to make with your kids, and has a unique texture that you can’t get with dry pasta. But, wait Corynne. Are gnocchi pasta? Yes and No-ish. I’ll start with the no. No, because it is mostly made with potato, however you can use any type of flour, as in this recipe. Not all gnocchi are created equal, but they’re equally delicious. The yes is that it is served much the same way as pasta in Italy. As I mentioned, they are traditionally made with potato producing a light, airy texture. I highly encourage you to make your own and freeze the remaining, as the store-bought kind often tastes acidic due to lactic acid. However, if you know of a less acidic tasting brand, please comment in the section below. As a mom, I completely understand the need for shortcuts, especially on weeknights.

For this recipe, no potato was used. I wanted a completely plant-based recipe and was inspired by Renee Byrd of Will Frolic for Food’s recipe Grain-Free Chickpea Ravioli with Almond Ricotta Filling. Though not as enveloped as Renee’s recipe, I chose instead to create my favorite, gnocchi. For this recipe I used a food processor to blend the chickpeas and to incorporate the remaining ingredients. Everything comes together quickly. If you find your dough a bit sticky, add additional flour until a shaggy, firm dough starts to form. Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and begin kneading to produce a smooth and elastic ball, about 10 minutes. Cut your dough into six pieces (refrigerate/freeze unused) and begin rolling each piece into a rope. Cut into 1-inch pieces and with a slotted spoon, slowly place in a pot of boiling water. You’ll know the gnocchi are done as they will rise to the top. Remove the gnocchi with the slotted spoon, spoon into bowls and top with the Roasted Cherry Tomatoes, additional olive oil and parsley. Enjoy!

To start gnocchi, place chickpeas in a food processor and process until no large pieces remain. Add chickpea flour, gluten free flour, eggs, olive oil and salt. Process until mixture comes together and begins to form a ball.

Turn out dough on a lightly floured surface. Begin kneading the dough until the texture holds together and is pliable. If the dough is too sticky, add additional flour until firm. Divide dough into 6 pieces. If not using all the dough, wrap extra pieces in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for one to two days or freeze for two to three months.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Roll each piece of dough into a rope about ½ inches in diameter. Cut into ¾ inches to 1-inch pieces. Place gnocchi on a lightly-floured parchment lined baking sheet. Repeat the process with the remaining pieces of dough. To cook the gnocchi, using a slotted spoon, lower a couple of gnocchi at a time in the boiling water. Note: Do not drop the gnocchi in the water, as this will cause the water to splash. Save yourself the pain. Once all the gnocchi are cooked, (they will float to the top indicating they are done), remove with the slotted spoon. Place the gnocchi in serving bowls. Sprinkle olive oil on to gnocchi to prevent sticking.

For the roasted tomatoes, preheat oven to 450° F. Toss the cherry tomatoes with garlic and olive oil until evenly coated. Bake the tomatoes in the preheated oven until the skins pop and start to brown 15 to 20 minutes. Remove from the oven. Split the tomatoes between the bowls of gnocchi. Drizzle additional olive oil on top. Garnish with parsley. Serve.

I’ve been incorporating adaptogens in my daily life to increase energy, relieve stress, relax me before I go to bed, and so on. The list goes on as adaptogens have a myriad of benefits for your body. So, what are adaptogens? They are non-toxic plants that have been used for centuries in Chinese and Ayurvedic healing traditions. They help the body resist stressors and are immune boosting. You can take them in supplement form or in powder form (my preferred method).

Adaptogens give me the much-needed boost throughout my day. This Calming Reishi Tonic utilizes Gynostemma tea, a calming tea I drink often before bed time and Reishi Mushroom powder, which increases energy, improves digestion and soothes inflammation. Reishi can be quite bitter so add your favorite sweetener to the drink. The Calming Reishi Tonic is creamy and delicious due to the homemade almond milk incorporated into it. I did a quick soak of my almonds (15 minutes in boiling hot water), drained them and added the remaining ingredients to my blender. Once blended, you strain the mixture into a medium saucepan and serve immediately. This tonic is in my hot beverage rotation on most weekends. I’ve been thoroughly enjoying the additions of adaptogens in my life. It’s made quite difference.

Combine the soaked almonds, steeped tea, dates, and spices in a high-speed blender. Purée on high. Strain tea through a fine sieve in a medium pot. Bring to a simmer, being careful not to let the milk boil. Serve warm.